ohana
by archy the cockroach
Summary: they were a family, of a sort. [rikusora, kairicentric]


Kairi couldn't help but feel a little bit… abandoned. Forgotten.

She really had expected it, after all. But still, seeing it out in the open was entirely different than the play-by-play in her mind. Her mouth is still open in that pretty little 'o' shape, and Sora stares at her with pleading eyes, begging her to say something.

Riku doesn't even look at her. He knows what she's going to say.

"You're…" Kairi trails off, looking between the two of them, frantically, panicked, hoping that Sora's playing a prank. "You're really…?" Riku glances at Sora, and the younger boy returns the look with watery, watery blue eyes.

"We have been," says Riku, looking back at Kairi, a look of utmost seriousness on his face, "since… before we even left the island."

"H-how…" Kairi stops, pauses, and giggles humorously. "I can't believe I didn't notice!" Looking back on it, now, she knows there were _so _many signs. The careful, caring glances, the teasing, the disappearing for hours on end…

"So you're not mad?" blurts Sora, one hand clenching the cloth covering his thigh, the other wrapped tightly around Riku's fingers. Kairi wipes away the tears that had started to fall down her face, but she shakes her head.

"How could I be mad? I-I mean if you guys are happy, then that's all that matters, right?" says the auburn-haired girl. Sora visibly sighs with relief, and the tension that embraced Riku's body disappears. For once, the ice-cold boy gives Kairi a smile. A real smile.

Kairi returns it, without much thought. She knows it's probably much better this way. After all, Riku and Sora were always closer. But, they never left her out of the picture, despite their stronger bond. "Heeey? You guys in here?" Wakka. Riku and Sora's hands hesitantly part. They still haven't told the others, yet.

The dark skinned boy enters the secret place, hands behind his head, carefree smile with exposed white teeth. Tidus and Selphie follow behind, laughing about something. Kairi stands up, first, with Riku and Sora following.

"I bet Sora and Kairi were making out. Riku probably walked in and decided to join in on the fun!" quips Tidus, before receiving an elbow in the stomach, courtesy of Selphie. Kairi blushes, due to the nature of the confession she's just received.

"Don't listen to him! He's just being a bonehead! But, come on! Let's go do something! It'll be like old times!" titters Selphie, taking Riku and Sora by the hands and dragging them out, back into the sunlight. Tidus follows eagerly, laughing in spite of himself.

Kairi moves to follow, but Wakka's cheerful voice restrains her. "So, they finally told you, ya?" Kairi's knees lock, and she slowly turns to face the tanned boy. He still smiles, hands behind his head, as if he's known all along. He probably has. Wakka's a perceptive person.

"Yeah. They did."

Wakka nods, letting his hands fall to his side. Kairi keeps walking through the path, and she can hear Selphie, Riku, Tidus and Sora up ahead. Wakka is just behind her, and she knows he's still smiling.

They're out into the sunlight, the midday heat of Destiny Islands warming Kairi to the core.

"Kairi! Kairi, come on!" Selphie catches her by the hand, almost immediately, and brings her out into the shallow water, where Riku and Sora are playfully splashing each other. Tidus and Wakka stay on the beach, throwing a blitzball at each other.

Selphie releases her hand and pirouettes in the water. Sora quickly catches sight of Kairi, and extends a hand to her, welcoming her, making her feel… whole.

Yeah, Kairi won't be abandoned.

Even when she was alone, for that long, long year.

Sora and Riku.

They were still there in her heart.

She won't be left behind.

Nobody gets left behind.

"Kairi, Kairi!" "Shuddup, Selphie!" "Hay, leave the poor girl alone, ya?"

Or forgotten.

**end.**

* * *

i've been watching too much lilo and stitch. heh.

written because i like kairi. not many rikusora or yaoi fans in general do.

also written, because i miss tidus and wakka. they shouldn't have been cut out in kh2. :wibbles and misses her wakka and tiddles:


End file.
